


This Grief

by Icephoinex



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Grief/Mourning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:35:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23944042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icephoinex/pseuds/Icephoinex
Summary: Hiccup needs time to process what has happened.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III & Toothless
Kudos: 22





	This Grief

**Author's Note:**

> Set after HTTWD 2. Spoilers for ending.

The island was celebrating its new chief in the traditional Viking way; loud, energetic and destructive.

Hiccup was feeling the weight of the day and slipped out the hall to be alone, avoiding a sleeping Toothless along the way. Astrid attempted to follow him, but Valka placed a hand on her arm to stop her. Astrid saw the look on her future mother in law’s face and stopped, this was a hurt she could not heal.

Hiccup, unaware he had been spotted continued his journey through the ruins of the village before coming to the cliff where he and Toothless had been victorious and fell to his knees.

Nothing moved around him as he finally started to process what he had lost.

His father was dead.

This was worse than missing a step in the dark, his mind and heart were free-falling with no end in sight, and no one to catch him.

He and his father had not always got on, their minds worked too differently, but still he had always felt he would be there if he needed him. A man unmovable as the biggest mountain.

Dying, as his father often said, was an occupational hazard for Vikings. Knowing it was inevitable did not make it any easier, the shock without the surprise.

He wanted to scream.

But would he stop? Could he afford to let this pain out, to let himself shatter? What if he couldn’t put himself back together again?

Hiccup swallowed back the urge before it could vocalise itself.

Berk needed a chief and despite never wanting it, that job had fallen to him. He could not afford to fall apart.

He heard a snuffing noise behind him and turned to see Toothless hovering nearby, almost scared to come close. Hiccup couldn’t bear to lose anything else in his life right now and held out his arms to the dragon, beckoning him close.

Instead of his usual bounding leap onto Hiccup to lick him, the creature curled himself around his only family, his tail across Hiccup’s lap and his head resting along Hiccups side.

Tears came unbidden to the young Berkian’s eyes and started to fall.

He made no sound other than the occasional hitch to his breathing, but the tears continued their river down his face, he turned his body, so his head was resting on his friend, his legs curled up into a ball at his chest.

The two brothers continued their vigil throughout the night, as dawn finally rose Hiccup stirred from his spot.

He took a deep breath.

He wasn’t ready for this.

Hiccup strode forward towards the chief’s home. His home.

He really didn’t feel ready for this.

But he was going to do it anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> I lost my father suddenly at the end of February and watching HTTYD helped me while I was recovering, this is my tribute to that amazing world.
> 
> This may not be my best but it feels good to write again.


End file.
